Top 5 Sports Moments

OK sports fans, I almost forgot to write my weekly top five installment, but my wife gingerly reminded me at dinner so here I am, giving it to you late on a Friday evening.  This is a list I have been working on for awhile, the top five sports moments in recent history.  I am sure this is as contentious (if not more) as the top five covers, since people’s opinions can vary widely depending on your interest.  Maybe Hulk Hogan throwing Andre the Giant over the top rope to win Wrestlemania III in 1988 really moved you to tears; maybe Derek Jeter hitting a home run to win some baseball game shook your world; or maybe the Eurotrash rugby championship in 2002 was the pinnacle of your sports-watching experience.  But these are the moments that really move me, played out mostly in the sports I care about.  If you have better ideas, feel free to share them.

5. Secretariat wins the 1973 Belmont by 31 lengths to complete the triple crown.  The first racing horse to grace the cover of Time Magazine, he still holds the standing track records for both the Kentucky Derby and Belmont, and the fastest time ever run for 1.5 miles on a dirt track.  His win may be the single most impressive victory in sports history.

4. Muhammad Ali vs George Foreman 1974 Title Bout - “The Rumble in the Jungle”.  Ali, fighting to regain his heavyweight title that he lost through conscientiously objecting to the Vietnam War, was a clear underdog against the powerful Foreman.  However, by outlasting the big man and implementing the”rope a dope” strategy of wearing his opponent out, Ali was able to surprise the champ in the 8th round and knock him out.  Amazing strategist.

3.  2007 Fiesta Bowl - Boise State vs Oklahoma.  Boise State was given very little chance in this game against Bob Stoops familiar Oklahoma team.  Most found it amazing that the Broncos hung with the Sooners through 4 quarters, but sending the game into overtime, and then winning with the “statue of liberty” was maybe the most unbelievable bowl game I have ever seen.

2. Roger Bannister breaking the 4 minute mile in 1954.  Most experts told him he would die, that the human body could not run that fast without exploding his heart.  Can you imagine, being told that your heart would explode if you kept pushing yourself, but doing it anyway?  Today the world record is almost 17 seconds under 4 minutes at 3:43.17.

1.  The “Miracle on Ice” - 1980 US Hockey Team’s upset of previously unbeaten USSR.  The USSR team, unbeaten since the 1960’s, was brought down by a bunch of kids who had only played together for 6 months.  The fact that they believed, and played fearless hockey on one night in front of the home crowd, changed history and may have single-handedly brought hope back to the beleaguered USA.  I get teary-eyed even thinking about it.

 So there you go, the top five sports moments.  Let me know what you think.

Top Five Running Songs

Though I am off in Florida visiting the in-laws for Thanksgiving and wireless is a rare commodity, yet I will not let you down on Top Five Friday!Thanks to the illustrious friend and prolific blogger, Hilary Marchbanks, I was able to decide on this week’s Top Five list.  You see, she recently began running, and when I learned of her ipod usage I decided I had to make her a runlist of some of my favorite running songs to support her in her endeavors. 

These songs are in no way indicative of my top five favorite songs, but instead are songs I have found that really motivate and push me.  You can make fun of the song selection all you’d like, but the fact is these songs will make you run like the wind.

You’re in luck this week, because I am bringing you two top five lists for the price of one.  There are some songs that are perfect for listening to just before a hard race, and then some that are great to hear mid-race, if you’re running with headphones.  So here are the two separate lists; enjoy.

Pre-race or pump up songs:

5.  Zombie by Cranberries.  I know the Cranberries aren’t always the first that comes to mind when you think of pump up music, but this song rocks.  In high school I would listen to it before just about every race.

4.  Today by Smashing Pumpkins.  I really got into this song my freshman year of college.  To live for today, run this race like it’s your last, forget the consequences and just do it.  Yeah, that’s college.

3.  The Cup of Life by Ricky Martin.  I know, it’s cheesy.  But when I hear this song, “Do you really want it?” I get really inspired by the World Cup.  Not really a huge soccer fan, I can recognize the significance of the sport to the rest of the world and understand the heart and soul that goes into it for every player – I want to care that much.

2.  Killing in the Name Of by Rage Against the Machine.  Not until after college did I start getting into Rage, but the message so fit my own philosophy, and the music rocks, I can’t help but wanna push it when this song comes on - “f*ck you I won’t do what you tell me!”

1.  Desire or Where the Streets have No Name by U2.  A twofer, it all depended on the mood.  In high school I was sometimes introspective and imagined the movie about my life which always began with Where the Streets.  Other times I just wanted to accomplish so much and thought the world was my proverbial oyster, I just had to want it bad enough, and Desire seemed to encapsulate that notion.

And now, the mid-run songs:

5.  Nookie by Limp Bizkit.  My first marathon, in 2001, I had an mp3 player that could hold 7 whole songs.  This was one of the free songs that came on it, and so I heard it many times that fine Sunday morning.

4.  Mo Money Mo Problems by Puff Daddy.  Great song, great beat, love Biggie.

3.  Sugar We’re Going Down by Fall Out Boy.  Now this is a great running song that I accidentally got from my boss’s daughter when I was helping her set up her ipod.  Would never have thought of it, but turns out it rocks.

2.  Lose Yourself by Eminem.  When this song first came out I knew it was going to be a great running song.  “When you got one chance to seize every thing you ever dreamt of, will you capture it, or just let it slip?” Hil’s vote for best running song ever.

1.  Stronger by Kanye West.  The newest addition with a bullet, this song freaking rocks.  Daft Punk sample is awesome on its own, but Kanye knows how to cook it to perfection.  If you don’t know, you need to find out.  Awesome.

A couple songs that barely miss the cut, mostly for lack of sentimentality (yet), include Sacrifice by the Roots and Wolf Like Me by TV on the Radio.  Let me know what you think; see you next week! 

Top Five Covers

Welcome to the inaugural top five blog post.  I hope to post a new top five list evrey Friday on varied and interesting topics, with the intention of being told by ya’ll all the critical blanks I left off the list.  Should be a good conversation starter, at least that is the hope.

I wanted to start this little series with a bang, so here comes a list near and dear to my heart - the top five cover songs.  I think we can all agree that a song performed by the original artist is generally always better than any cover, but occasionally a different band can capture the essence of a song in a new way that improves the overall delivery of the song.  I am not in any way commenting on the quality of the original versions of these songs, just that if I have my choice I would rather listen to the cover for whatever reason.

There are many lists available out there, this is clearly a hot topic in pop culture.  Over the summer the New York Post did a list of the top 100 covers of all time, which contain a few of my own choices but in my opinion is woefully inadequate with Dolly Parton’s cover of “Stairway to Heaven” as their number one.  There are plenty of nobodies like me that have their own lists, such as this one.  If you google best cover songs you can waste hours reading other people’s opinions.  Or you can just stick with mine and trust me.  So here goes -

5.  Gin and Juice by the Gourds - originally by Snoop Dogg.  This is a great cover of a great song, with the rockabilly twist that brings naughty out of Compton and into the trailer park.  Fun stuff.

4. With a Little Help From My Friends by Joe Cocker - originally by the Beatles.  The first on the list be the Beatles that has since been owned by the remake artist.  I think it is safe to say that most people don’t even know this was originally a Beatles song, especially those of us that grew up watching the Wonder Years.

3. I Will Survive by Cake - originally by Gloria Gaynor.  Great cover.  Cake makes this song their own with a new voice and a male desperation to match the original’s female angst.

2. Hurt by Johnny Cash - originally by Nine Inch Nails.  Cash said that this song was the most accurate depiction of drug addiction he had ever heard, and I think it is clear through his painful cover that he knows what he is talking about.  Love the original, but nothing can beat Cash.

And for the number one cover of all time, IMHO…

1. Live and Let Die by Guns & Roses - originally by the Beatles.  Not that the Beatles didn’t do a great job with the original, but GNR brought it into the modern age with a revved version that only turns it into a 10 on the rock charts, elevating it from the 9.5 it originally held.  Axel’s whiny voice complements the message and the music so well, it has to be the best cover ever.

Many honorable mentions follow, I have a hard time narrowing it to 5.  But to fit into the format I want to start, I had to.  Here are some more favorites:

Come Together by Aerosmith, and Helter Skelter by U2 are more Beatles covers that rock.  Smashing Pumpkins do two great covers - Landslide originally by Fleetwood Mac and You’re All I’ve Got Tonight originally by the Cars.  Two Stevie Wonder songs have great covers - Higher Ground by Red Hot Chili Peppers and Reggae Woman by Better Than Ezra.  Three more honorable mentions - About a Boy by Joss Stone, she is so hot; Where’s My Mind by the Toadies; and Smooth Criminal by Alien Ant Farm.

So that’s my list, if you have thoughts, concerns, etc, let me hear them!